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(No Model) L. E. BROWN.

TRACE CARRIER.

No. 584,151 Patented June 8.1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT LENIS E. BROVN, OF ATHENS, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN II.

VVALFORD, SAME PLACE.

TRACE-CARRl ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 584,151, dated June 8, 1897.

Application filed June 4, 1896. Serial No. 694,334, (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Lnwrs E. Bnown, a citizen of the United States, residing at Athens, in the county of Henderson and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Trace- Carrier, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in trace-carriers.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of trace-carriers and to provide asimple, inexpensive, and efiicient one capable of readily receiving and of securely holding the chain of a trace close to the back-band and of preventing the inner trace-chains form becoming hooked into each other when two horses are employed at aplow or the like.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed outin the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a trace-carrier constructed in accordance with this invention and shown applied to a back-band and supporting a trace-chain. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the tracecarrier detached, the movable hook being swung upward. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the trace-carrier. Fig. at is a detail sectional view taken horizontally of the hooks and showing a link confined therein. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view, the device being detached.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a trace-carrier comprising a backhand buckle 2, provided with a depending outwa-rdly-extending hook 3 and a movable hook 4, extendinginward, being disposed reversely of the hook 3, whereby when the movable hook is closed the two hooks cooperate to form an eye for retaining a link of a trace-chain 5, which looks the hook a in its closed position.

The buckle 2, which may be of any desired construction, consists of a rectangular frame and a hinged or pivoted cross-bar 6, located between the top and bottom of the buckleframe, dividing the space to form strap-openings and provided with teeth to engage a backband 7.

The hook 3, which is preferably formed integral with the buckle-frame, is composed of two parallel sides forming an intervening space between them and connected at the point of the hook, and the movable hook has the upper end of its shank provided with an eye, receiving the top of the buckle-frame, whereby the movable hook is hinged to the same. When the movable hook is closed, it is swung into the intervening space between the sides of the hook 3, and one side of a link of the chain 5 is received within the eye or loop formed by the two hooks, and when the link is at the bottom of the eye or loop it prevents the movable hook from swinging outward. The top of the buckle-frame is pro vided with a bend which forms shoulders to prevent the eye of the shank of the movable hook from sliding on the buckle-frame.

The trace-chain is first engaged with the movable hook and is moved upward on the shank of the same to a point above the hooks. The movable hook is then closed and the link, which is confined, is moved downward to the bottom of the eye or loop. hen the movable hook is closed, its shank forms a continuation of the outer side of the hook 3, closin g the mouth of the latter and forming practically a continuous unbroken eye or loop for the trace-chain.

The buckle-frame and hook 3 are integrally formed, and the end of the hook 3 is deflected toward the plane of the buckle-frame to provide clearance for the hook 4: and enable the latter to lie snugly within the space formed between the side members of the hook 3, as clearly indicated in Figs. 1, 4, and 5. The end bars of the buckle-frame are expanded intermediate of their extremities and are apertured to receive the journals formed at the ends of the toothed cross-bar 6.

It will be seen that the buckle trace-carrier is exceedingly simple and inexpensive in construction, that it enables a trace-chain to be readily connected with a back-band, and that it will prevent the inner trace-chains from 100 rectangular frame having its end bars ex- I panded intermediate of their extremities, and formed with a hook pendent from its lower bar and consisting of parallel sides and having its closed end deflected toward the plane of the buckle-frame, a toothed cross-bar journaled at its ends in openings formed in the expanded portions of the aforesaid end bars, and a hook pivotally mounted upon the top bar of the buckle frame and adapted to fit snugly Within the space formed between the sides of the pendent hook, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LEWIS E. BBOXVN.

\Vitnesses J NO. I-I. WALFORD, T. 0. BROWN. 

